Four days after the Bombay High Court rap on marking silent zones, the municipal corporation decided to demarcate the areas and display signages across the city.
About 1,200 silent zones — areas 100 metres around educational institutions, hospitals, religious places and courts — would be identified and boards will be put up in a month’s time, civic officials said.
On February 26, the high court had slammed the municipal corporation, police commissioner, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and state government for not identifying silent zones in the city though rules for noise pollution have been in place since 2000, while hearing a petition filed by NGO Awaz.
The court had given the state a week’s time to issue a notification and demarcate silent zones.
“Tenders have been invited for 50 boards in each of the 24 administrative wards. The boards will be put up within a month,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner, R.A. Rajeev on Monday.
Civic officials said the signages would help create awareness among people. “It will at least help in making people aware about silent zones,” an official said, on condition of anonymity.
The municipal corporation also clarified that its responsibility would be limited to installing the signages. “The implementing authorities will be the local and traffic police,” Rajeev said.
{{/usCountry}}The municipal corporation also clarified that its responsibility would be limited to installing the signages. “The implementing authorities will be the local and traffic police,” Rajeev said.
{{/usCountry}}Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Harish Baijal said: “The traffic police would not need decibel meters as honking in silent zones would immediately lead to imposing of fine.”
Currently, defaulters are fined Rs 100. “We haven’t decided on increasing the fine as of now,” added Baijal.